D.C. tries to douse Saratoga's big day

Public water system: Ditch plans to serve bottles at inauguration

Updated 7:56 am, Friday, August 24, 2012

Adam Madkour, right COO of Saratoga Spring Water Company gives Senator Charles Schumer a full tour of the bottling plant in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Aug 2, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Adam Madkour, right COO of Saratoga Spring Water Company gives Senator Charles Schumer a full tour of the bottling plant in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Aug 2, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Photo: Skip Dickstein

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Adam Madkour, right COO of Saratoga Spring Water Company gives Senator Charles Schumer a full tour of the bottling plant in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Aug 2, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Adam Madkour, right COO of Saratoga Spring Water Company gives Senator Charles Schumer a full tour of the bottling plant in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Aug 2, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Photo: Skip Dickstein

Image 3 of 13

Adam Madkour, left COO of Saratoga Spring Water Company give Senator Charles Schumer a full tour of the bottling plant in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Aug 2, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Adam Madkour, left COO of Saratoga Spring Water Company give Senator Charles Schumer a full tour of the bottling plant in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Aug 2, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Photo: Skip Dickstein

Image 4 of 13

Adam Madkour, left COO of Saratoga Spring Water Company gives Senator Charles Schumer a full tour of the bottling plant in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Aug 2, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Adam Madkour, left COO of Saratoga Spring Water Company gives Senator Charles Schumer a full tour of the bottling plant in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Aug 2, 2012. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Photo: Skip Dickstein

Image 5 of 13

Senator Charles Schumer, left arrives for a tour of the Saratoga Spring Water Company in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Aug 2, 2012. Joining him on the right is Saratoga Springs Mayor Scott Johnson (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Hawkins sent the letter jointly with Kirstin Urquiza, director of the Think Outside the Bottle campaign of Corporate Accountability International, a 35-year-old nonprofit that describes its mission as protecting public health, the environment and human rights from corporate abuse.

"Our government leaders are the stewards of the public water system," said Adam Macon, national campaign organizer for the organization. "A president drinking bottled water sends the wrong message."

Schumer had announced the choice of Saratoga bottled water during a visit to the bottling plant on Geyser Road in Saratoga Springs earlier this month.

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"Saratoga Spring Water has long been one of my beverages of choice, so when given the opportunity to share its iconic blue bottle with hundreds of guests at the Presidential Inauguration, it was a no-brainer," Schumer said in prepared remarks. "After touring this impressive bottling facility, I am thrilled to announce that Saratoga Spring will be served to official guests at the Presidential Inauguration."